DUNDEE
ACCESS GROUP
MINUTES
OF THE MEETING HELD ON 7TH DECEMBER 2017 IN THOMAS HERD HOUSE, WARD
ROAD, DUNDEE.
PRESENT:
Erik Cramb, Anne Farrow, Carole Craig, Heather Flood, Dorothy Wilson,
Sandy Cameron, Denise Cameron, Lillian Malcolm, Fiona Harper (PAMIS), Derek
Paton (visitor).
APOLOGIES: Jan Goodall, Denis Bethell.
1. Tribute to Gordon MacDonald:
Gordon MacDonald, our friend and colleague
and Lillian’s beloved partner, who was here at this table just last month,
passed away unexpectedly in Ninewells Hospital just under a fortnight ago. We
as a group are diminished by his passing, but enormously enriched by his
presence in recent years.
We have been well aware
of his commitment, his determination, his humour and his wisdom here, but the
scope of his life had a breadth we could hardly even have begun to comprehend.
It was a pleasure, albeit a sad pleasure, to hear some of that told at his
funeral. We will really miss him at our meetings.
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:
The minutes of the meeting held
on 26th October 2017 were approved.
3.
MATTERS
ARISING:
3.1.
Ramps. No further progress has been made but we are
still in contact with Fintry Community Council.
3.2.
Website.
Anne has arranged to see Elle Smith and Rhys on 20th December.
3.3.
New
Dundee Station Development. Gerry Conway
was pleased to get our comments objecting to the planned tactile paving.
4 OTHER AGENDA ITEMS:
4.1 Fiona Harper and colleagues from PAMIS came with their Pamiloo to Ward Road to let us see the vehicle. Photos were taken of us handing over our contribution to their fundraising effort.
4.2 Treasurer’s Report. Sandy updated us on the balance in our bank account.
5
CORRESPONDENCE:
By email
5.1
On
26/10/17 from Jonathan Horne the owner of Henry’s Coffee House, requesting a
member of DAG to do a site visit.
Carole visited. She
thought the layout of the tables was much improved.
5.2
The ALLIANCE weekly bulletins.
5.3
On
1/11/17 Disability Equality News Issue 1.
5.4
On
2/11/17 info re Disability Equality Scotland Accessible Housing Roadshow in
Dundee.
5.5
On
3/11/17 from Peter O’Connell, Scotrail, giving reasons why there would be no
changing places toilet installed at the upgraded Dundee Railway Station.
Dorothy reported that
PAMIS has since met with Scotrail who are now trying to get funds to put in a
changing places toilet.
5.6
On
3/11/17 from Dundee City Council with invitation to attend a Neighbourhood
Services Stakeholder Focus Group on 13th December.
5.7
On
7/11/17 via DES (previously SDEF) sending the Scottish Government’s Free Bus
Travel for Older and Disabled People Consultation.
5.8
On
9/11/17 from TACTRAN (Tayside & Central Scotland Transport Partnership)
with invitation to their regional rail forum on 30th November in
Perth.
5.9
On
9/11/17 from Karen Tocher, Business Tourism
Manager, Dundee and Angus Convention Bureau, with invitation to an event she
was organising for their Business Tourism partners.
5.10
On
13/11/17 from Lillian passing on a reply the she and Gordon had received from
Andrew Marshall-Roberts, Scotrail, regarding their email about access for less-abled
travelling on trains.
Carol has been in
touch with Andrew about letting disabled travellers book seats in first class
carriages of trains.
5.11
On
24/11/17 DES Open Door Issue 41 which feature a bit about what DAG and some
other Access Panels have been doing this quarter.
5.12
On
29/11/17 from Charmaine Wanless with an invitation next meeting of DAAG on
Wednesday 13 December which is to be held in the Discovery Point.
6 A.O.C.B.
6.1
Derek Paton
attended our meeting to tell us his concerns about the crossing of Johnston
Avenue near its roundabout with Strathmore Avenue at the point where there are
dropped kerbs. He explained that last
year there had been a fatal accident at this point and he felt that the main
problem was the width of Johnston Avenue there.
He felt that the matter would be improved if a pedestrian refuge were
installed midway across the road. Two members of our Access Group visited the
site. They did not feel that the road was wide enough to safely have such a
pedestrian refuge but agreed that the road was too wide to be safely crossed
there. They thought that perhaps moving the dropped kerbs to a place further
from the roundabout would be beneficial for wheelchairs users. It was decided
that that the appropriate people from Dundee Council should be asked if they
could do a site visit with someone from Dundee Access Group and discuss the
problem.
7 DATE OF NEXT MEETING.
The date of the next meeting is on Thursday 1st
February 2018 in Thomas Herd House, 10 - 12 Ward Road, Dundee,
DD1 1LX.
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE
c/o Dundee Carers Centre
Seagate House 124 Seagate Dundee DD1 2HB web: www.dundeeaccessgroup.co.uk
e-mail: dundeeaccessgroup.org@hotmail.co.uk